On or about April 13, 2026, a male, later identified through investigation as ANTONIO JAMES BEARD [DOB REDACTED], Defendant herein, purchased $96.20 of items at Menards located at [ADDRESS REDACTED] NE, Fridley, Anoka County, MN using five (5) $20 bills. The cashier attempted to return $3.80 to Defendant, but Defendant left before that could happen. Menards staff discovered that at least three (3) of the $20 bills (United States currency) Defendant used to pay for the items were counterfeit. Upon reviewing the currency, Law Enforcement observed they were counterfeit based on how they felt and because two of the three bills have matching serial numbers.
A KOPS alert was placed on the vehicle that Defendant arrived and left the store in. On April 15, 2026, Defendant was stopped by Law Enforcement while driving the vehicle. Defendant was arrested. While executing a search warrant on the vehicle, Law Enforcement found two (2) additional counterfeit $20 bills (United States currency) in the center console. The two (2) $20 bills had matching serial numbers that also matched one (1) of the $20 bills that on or about April 13, 2026, Defendant used to purchase items at the Menards located in Fridley, MN. Additionally, inside of the vehicle Law Enforcement located a printer and ivory colored parchment paper.
Inside of the printer’s paper reservoir Law Enforcement located seven (7) $20 bills (United States currency) that were uncut and printed on the ivory parchment paper. The seven (7) uncut $20 bills had matching serial numbers that are the same as the serial numbers found on the two (2) $20 bills found in the vehicle’s center console, and one (1) of the $20 bills tendered by Defendant at the Menards located in Fridley, MN. On July 15, 2025, Defendant was convicted of felony Receiving Stolen Property (Minn.
Stat. § 609.53) in court file no. 27-CR-25-1956, thereby elevating the current offense to a felony.
